William c



(No Model.)

- W. O. KELLY.

No. 402,936. Patented May 7, 1889.

INVEN QR UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM C. KELLY, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 402,936, dated May 7, 1889.

Application filed February 19, 1889. Serial No. 300,440- (No model.)

T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM C. KELLY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Axes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in axes.

The ordinary form of ax is one in which the general configuration is that of a wedge, or tapering gradually from the cutting-edge toward the eye and thence to the butt, the sides of the wedge being substantially parallel crosswise of the ax. The great disadvantages experienced with axes of this kind led to certain improvements which form the subjectmatter of Letters Patent No. 327,27 5, granted to me on the 29th day of September, 1885, which consisted in so forming the cuttingblade that it shall be of a practically uniform thickness for so much of its extent as would be ordinarily available for grinding and sharpening, and embodying also the features of presenting a gradually-decreasing extent of surface to the bite of the wood being cut by the ax, so that with the same amount of force applied such ax could be driven deeper into the wood than the ordinary ax, and the deeper it entered the wood comparatively the less would be the power required to loosen the ax from the bite. These results were sought to be accomplished by forming the blade of the ax of a practically uniform thickness at the portion usually consumed by continued use and regrinding, and beveling or tapering the blade from a central point toward the back and front edges, as fully described in the patent to which reference is made. Since the grant of said patent I have found that axes made in accordance with the invention therein described, while having many advantages over axes as made prior thereto, still embody defects, which consist in the fact that the bevel given to the blade, starting about centrally of the ax, tapers gradually in straight lines or planes toward each side edge and toward the cutting-edge, and while the bite of' come this defect in the ax referred to; and it consists in forming the blade with the general features referred to in the patent named; but in lieu of the gradually-tapering surfaces extending from about the center laterally and toward the heel and toe I compress or cut the metal away abruptly on lines extending from the center toward the heel and toe and then laterally in a gradual taper or straight line toward the opposite edges of the ax, as will be fully explained hereinafter, and illustrated in the drawings forming part of this specification.

In order that those skilled in the art to which my invention relates may know how to make the same, I will proceed to describe the features of construction and the mode I have practiced in producing the same, referring by letters to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of an ax embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the embodiment of my invention with a hatchet, and Fig. 3 is a cross-section taken at the line :0 w of Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in the several figures of the drawings, and as the ax and hatchet are similarly made and both involve the same general features of construction no difference will be made in referring thereto.

A represents the blade portion, and B the butt or head, and C is the eye. The poll and bit may be formed and joined together in the well-known or any other manner, and when made and joined form the blank from which my improved ax is made. I preferably subject the poll and bit to the action of formingdies, or I may employ any other suitable means for forging or grinding into the proper form. The blade A is tapered from the cutting-edge toward the eye to about the point represented by a, gradually increasing in thickness in the direction indicated by the arrow, and from such point a to the heel and toe of the cutting-edge (represented by the letters I) b) the body of the blade is compressed or cut away, at first comparatively abruptly, as represented at c, and then slightly tapering toward the front and rear edges, thus leaving inclined depressed surfaces cl on each side of the central tapered portion of the ax. The vertical compression or cutting away at the point 0 may gradually decrease in depth from a to Z),'accordiug to the thickness or general taper of the blade. The eifect of the compression or cutting away of the body of the blade, as described and shown, is to leave that portion of the blade lying within the boundaries of lines drawn from a to the heel b and toe b in a raised condition, and such raised portion decreases in width as it approaches 1he point a, or, in other words, the deeper the blade penetrates the wood the narrower is the bite of the wood upon the blade, and consequently the easier, comparatively, is the ax driven into the wood and loosened from such bite, the raised portion or rib forming a fulcrum upon which the ax may be readily vibrated by power applied to its handle.

In manufacturing my improved ax I preferably, as before stated, employ forming-dies of such form and construction as will effectually and economically produce the an in the most desired form; but the dies need not here be more fully described, as they form the subject-matter of an application for Letters Patent. filed February 20, 1889, Serial No. 300,530. If, however, it is thought for any reason desirable, it will be readily understood that the depressed portion of the blade may be produced by ordinary hammering or by the use of suitable grinding or cutting tools. In one case the depression is the result of compression or displacement of the metal, and in the other the removal bodily of a portion thereof; but in either case, so far as the raised portion is concerned, the effect is the same.

From the construction as described and illustrated it will be seen that from the edges of the fulcrum or raised portion of the blade to the compressed or depressed portion there is a well-defined abrupt step greater in extent than any possible expansion of the wood, and consequently the bitin -surface and the power of the bite are such as to be readily overcome. The point of juncture between the compressed portion and the eye portion of the body of the ax is preferably merged together by a gradual curve or taper to avoid any abrupt step or shoulder which would tend to obstruct any rocking releasing movement of the art.

.The same principle of construction, described with reference to axes, is also equally applicable in the manufacture of hatchets, as is clearly illustrated in the drawings, and I accordingly wish it to be understood that wherever the word ax is used it shall have such significance as to comprehend also hatchet.

Having described the peculiarconstruction and advantages of my improved ax, whatI claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

As a new article of manufacture, an ax having the blade tapering from the eye to the cutting-edge, and having its body compressed or cut away each side of the center comparaatively abruptly, as shown at c, to form a well-defined step terminating in or joining the inclined depressed surface (1, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

\VILLIAM (i. KELLY.

Witnesses:

BEN. O. WEAVER, J .r., BURTON A. DUERSON. 

